Файл: The number of people who at risk of serious health problems due to being overweight is increasing. What is the reason for the growth of overweight people in society? How can this problem be solved?.pdf

Obesity is a global health problem. Interest in the problem of obesity is growing everywhere. In all the media, we often hear: "Obesity is the epidemic of the 21st century", "Obesity is a global catastrophe". In all Newspapers, websites, magazines, advertisements we see means for weight loss, various diets, methods of weight loss.

But how often do we think about the problem itself? The problem of obesity is not the first century. In the distant past, the ability to store fat was an evolutionary advantage that allowed humans to survive periods of forced starvation. Fat women served as a symbol of fertility and health. They were immortalised on the canvases of many artists, for example, Kustodiev, Rubens, Rembrandt. From the ingenious invention of nature – fat, which in the past had a protective function, now millions of people suffer. In General, this problem is becoming one of the global, affecting all countries. According to who, there are more than 1.7 billion people in the world who are overweight or obese. According to who statistics, the number of obese people worldwide has doubled since 1980. In 2012, more than 40 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese.

Therefore, the problem of obesity in our time is becoming more urgent and begins to pose a social threat to people's lives.

What is overweight? General information

Overweight is a chronic metabolic disease that can develop at any age.

Being overweight or fat is having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is especially common where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary.

As of 2003, excess weight reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults being either overweight or obese. In 2013 this increased to more than 2 billion. Increases have been observed across all age groups.

A healthy body requires a minimum amount of fat for proper functioning of the hormonal, reproductive, and immune systems, as thermal insulation, as shock absorption for sensitive areas, and as energy for future use. But the accumulation of too much storage fat can impair movement, flexibility, and alter the appearance of the body.

In most developed countries in Europe, 15 to 25% of the adult population is obese. Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence of obesity in children and adolescents worldwide: in the developed world, 25% of adolescents are overweight and 15% are obese. Overweight in childhood is a significant factor in obesity in adulthood: 50% of children who were overweight at age 6 become obese in adulthood, and in adolescence this probability increases to 80%.

Who views obesity as a global epidemic affecting millions of people. The problem of obesity is becoming more urgent and begins to pose a social threat to the lives of people regardless of their social and professional affiliation, area of residence, age and gender.

Statistics

Obesity, even to a small extent, reduces life expectancy by an average of 4-5 years; if it is pronounced, then life is shortened by 10-15 years. For example, data from the National center for the prevention of chronic diseases and the preservation of health in the United States suggest that about 300 thousand Americans die each year due to diseases caused by obesity.

In General, medical statistics show that an average of 60-70% of fatal cases are associated with diseases, which are based on violations of fat metabolism and obesity.

But in the world, according to 2014 data, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older are overweight. Of that number, more than 600 million people are obese.

As for some regions of the world, for example, in almost all European countries, 15-25% of the adult population are obese.

Moreover, in developed countries, the number of overweight people is, according to various estimates, from 35 to 55%, and in some countries (Canada, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Greece) - 60-70%. The share of overweight women in this statistics is about 52%, the share of men - 48%.

Top most obese countries according to The world Health Organisation data from 2013.

It should be noted that in the list of the most obese Nations, Russia occupies a far from leading position, although more than 30% of the working-age population of the country suffers from overweight and obesity. At the same time, 24% of women and 10% of men are prone to obesity in Russia.

Experts are also concerned about the fact that the proportion of overweight people in the world is constantly increasing. So, in the UK over the past 25 years, the number of people exposed to obesity has increased by about 5 times.

Of particular concern is the evidence that the number of overweight children and adolescents has increased globally in recent years. Thus, in developed countries, 25% of the younger generation are overweight, while 15% are obese. The United States, South Africa and Italy were the worst affected by childhood obesity.

And it has long been proven that excess weight in childhood is a high probability of obesity in adulthood. At least, statistics show that 50% of overweight children in 6 years with age begin to gain weight, and excess weight in adolescence increases this probability to 80%.

Given these facts, who in its documents recognises that obesity has already acquired the character of a global epidemic, or pandemic.

Classification of obesity

In different people, adipose tissue is deposited differently, so there are three types of obesity.

Abdominal (from lat. abdomen - the belly), or Android (from the Greek. andros-male), or upper type of obesity is characterized by excessive deposition of adipose tissue in the abdomen and upper torso. The figure becomes like an Apple. Obesity type "Apple" is more common in men and is the most dangerous to health. It is with this type that such diseases as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, heart attacks and strokes develop more often.
Femoral-gluteal, or lower type of obesity is characterized by the development of adipose tissue mainly in the buttocks and thighs. The figure is shaped like a pear. Obesity type "pear" often occurs in women and is usually accompanied by the development of diseases of the spine, joints and veins of the lower extremities.
Mixed, or intermediate type of obesity, is characterized by a uniform distribution of fat throughout the body.

Causes and reasons for the growth of overweight people in society

Obesity can occur due to metabolic disease or due to poor nutrition and bad eating habits.

Obesity develops due to a violation of the energy balance of the body, when the energy intake from food exceeds the energy expenditure of the body. Excess calories from what is eaten are used to synthesise fat, which is deposited in fat depots. Gradually increasing fat stores, body weight is steadily increasing.

In recent decades, many countries have improved their living standards, changed their dietary patterns, and increased their consumption of high-calorie, high-fat and low-fiber foods. All this contributes to the consumption of excess energy, and therefore the spread of obesity among more and more people.

Minor, at first glance, "small weaknesses" that a person allows himself, can lead to significant weight gain. For example, if you eat extra drying every day, weight gain will be 1.1 kg per year, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise-4.8 kg per year.

Weight depends not only on what and how a person eats, but also on how active a lifestyle he leads. As a rule, the modern person leads, basically, a sedentary lifestyle: goes by transport instead of walking; uses an escalator and an Elevator even in those cases when it is possible to do without them; performs work sitting; spends a lot of time in front of the TV and at the computer, which contributes to the growth of body weight and the development of obesity.

Being overweight is generally caused by the intake of more calories (by eating) than are expended by the body (by exercise and everyday activity). Factors that may contribute to this imbalance include:

Alcoholism
Eating disorders (such as binge eating)
Genetic predisposition
Hormonal imbalances (e.g. hypothyroidism)
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep
Limited physical exercise and a sedentary lifestyle
Poor nutrition
Metabolic disorders, which could be caused by repeated attempts to lose weight by weight cycling
Overeating
Psychotropic medication (e.g. olanzapine)
Smoking cessation and other stimulant withdrawal
Stress
People who have insulin dependent diabetes and chronically overdose insulin may gain weight, while people who already are overweight may develop insulin tolerance, and in the long run develop type II diabetes.

There are also contributing or predisposing factors to obesity:

Systematic lack of sleep increases the production of hunger hormone (ghrelin) and reduces the production of satiety hormone (leptin), resulting in a person during the day constantly feels hungry. - In stressful situations, the body requires food rich in carbohydrates (e.g., chocolate), which increases the synthesis of endorphins ("hormones of joy"). And if the body "gets hooked" on such a "drug", the absence of a favourite delicacy will already lead to the production of stress hormone. Thus, a vicious circle is formed
The roots of obesity come from childhood, when parents ask the child to eat a spoon «for grandma» or «for mom». Or make the baby necessarily eat up the portion, even if he does not want to. Sometimes in the family there are certain food traditions (for example, the use of fatty foods), contributing to the development of obesity
After 40 years, metabolism slows down, so the need for energy costs decreases. However, the habit of eating calorie-rich foods remains. In addition, physical activity tends to decrease with age
Products with the addition of flavour enhancers (eg, sodium glutamate), dulling the feeling of satiety and enhance the taste sensation. As a result, the brain receives a signal that the food consumed is incredibly tasty, and it wants to absorb more and more
The habit of eating quickly: glucose from the blood, the overwhelming feeling of hunger, the satiety center does not immediately, so there is overeating
When eating fast food in the body gets a large number of calories and fats
Insulin and insulin secretion stimulants
Sedentary lifestyle
Genetic factor
Some diseases, in particular endocrine diseases (hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, insulinoma)
Psychological eating disorders (eg, psychogenic overeating), leading to eating disorders
The Prader-Willi Syndrome
Dysfunction of the hypothalamus
Neuroleptics (antipsychotics)
Systemic glucocorticosteroids
Hormonal contraceptive.

The main cause of obesity in both adults and children is overeating. Chronic overeating leads to disturbances in the work of the appetite center in the brain, and the normal amount of food eaten can no longer suppress hunger to the desired extent. Excess, excess food is utilized by the body and deposited "in reserve" in the fat depot, which leads to an increase in the amount of fat in the body, that is, to the development of obesity.

However, there are many reasons that make a person overeat. Strong excitement can reduce the sensitivity of the saturation center in the brain, and a person begins to take more food without noticing. A similar situation can be the result of a number of psychoemotional factors, such as feelings of loneliness, anxiety, longing, as well as in people suffering from neuroses. In these cases, food seems to replace positive emotions. Many eat heavily before going to bed, sitting in front of the TV, which also contributes to obesity.

Age is essential in the development of obesity, which is why there is even a special type of obesity – age. This type of obesity is associated with age-related impairment of a number of special centers of the brain, including the center of appetite. To suppress feelings of hunger with age requires a greater amount of food. Therefore, imperceptibly for themselves, many people over the years begin to eat more, overeat. In addition, a decrease in the function of the thyroid gland, which produces hormones involved in metabolism, is important in the development of age-related obesity.

The most important factor leading to the development of obesity is physical activity, when even the normal amount of food taken is excessive, since the calories received by the body with food are not burned during exercise, but turn into fat. So the less we move, the less we have to eat in order not to get fat.

The main reason for the development of obesity in modern society is a sedentary lifestyle and the consumption of high-calorie food. Initially, the development of pathology occurs due to imbalance, which is characterised by the amount of energy received from food and its costs by the body. Excess calories that are not fully processed, is transferred into fat. It begins to accumulate in the abdominal wall, in the internal organs, subcutaneous tissue, etc. the Accumulation of fat leads to the appearance of excess pounds and disruption of the functions of many human organs. In 90% obesity is caused by overeating, and only in 5% of cases metabolic disorders.

The influence of overweight on health

The importance of the problem of obesity is determined by the threat of disability of young patients and a decrease in overall life expectancy due to the frequent development of severe comorbidities. These include: type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis and related diseases, reproductive dysfunction, gallstone disease, osteochondrosis. Obesity reduces resistance to colds and infectious diseases, dramatically increases the risk of complications in surgical interventions and injuries.

In a number of diseases, obesity is one of the components of the underlying disease. For example, in such endocrine diseases as Cushing's disease, hypothyroidism, insuloma, as a rule, there is obesity. This obesity is called secondary obesity. The doctor finds out the cause of obesity in each individual patient, carrying out a number of special studies, and establishes whether obesity is only associated with a sedentary lifestyle and overeating, or there is secondary obesity.

Obesity significantly reduces life expectancy by an average of 3-5 years with a small excess weight, up to 15 years with severe obesity. In almost two out of three cases, the death of a person comes from a disease associated with a violation of fat metabolism and obesity.

Obesity is a danger to the whole body.

The most often from obesity suffer heart of and vessels, because from-for violations exchange fat evolves atherosclerosis, which leads to raising blood pressure, ischemic disease hearts and so on.

The accumulated fat in the abdominal cavity presses on the diaphragm (the muscle separating the chest and abdomen). As a result, the pressure in the chest and abdominal cavities increases, making it difficult to breathe and work the heart. Liver cells are replaced by fat cells, so all types of metabolism in the body are disrupted: fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamin. As a result, immunity decreases, hair falls out, nails become brittle, skin diseases develop.

Suffers functionality endocrine organs: evolves diabetes mellitus type II type, have men is declining potency, have women violated menstrual cycle.

People with obesity are more prone to the formation of cancers, especially women (breast cancer is the most common).

Disturbed internal organs: kidneys, gallbladder (often formed stones), develop chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Reduced mental and physical performance, irritability appears, disturbed sleep, patients are more difficult to adapt to changing living conditions, and so on.

Develop diseases of the joints due to excessive load on them. From the stubborn figures of statistics it follows that patients with the third degree of obesity die earlier because of the developed complications (for example, heart attack or stroke).

The social side of the problem

The social significance of the problem of obesity is determined by the threat of disability of young patients and a decrease in overall life expectancy due to the frequent development of development of serious diseases.

Persons suffering from severe obesity, can hardly get a job. Obese people experience discriminatory restrictions on promotion, everyday household inconveniences, restrictions on movement, in the choice of clothing, inconveniences in carrying out adequate hygiene measures; sexual disorders are often observed. Children with excess body weight suffer from bullying.

Modern society provokes unintentional obesity in its citizens, promoting the consumption of high-calorie foods with high fat content, and at the same time, thanks to technological progress, stimulates a sedentary lifestyle. These social and technological factors have contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity in recent decades.

The world Health Organisation has concluded that the main cause of the obesity epidemic in the world was the lack of spontaneous and active physical activity of the population, combined with excessive consumption of high-calorie fatty foods. Obesity significantly reduces life expectancy on average from 3 to 5 years with a small excess weight, up to 15 years with severe obesity. In almost two out of three cases, the death of a person comes from a disease associated with a violation of fat metabolism and obesity.

In society, the attitude to patients with obesity is often inadequate, at the household level it is believed that obesity is a punished gluttony, punished laziness, so the treatment of obesity is a personal matter. Indeed, the public consciousness is still far from the idea that overweight people are sick people, and the cause of their disease is often not in rampant addiction to food, but in complex metabolic disorders that lead to excessive accumulation of fat and adipose tissue.

Currently, there is an increase in overweight in children and adolescents, which from an early age can affect their social well-being. Social well-being refers to a state associated with social comfort or discomfort, with satisfaction with one's status determined by comparing oneself with other individuals. It is possible to allocate such indicators of social well-being of people with excess weight as: their social adaptation, a subjective assessment of the social position, the General characteristic of interaction with their social environment.

Having analysed the existing sources devoted to this problem, we can come to the following conclusions:

the Social well-being of people suffering from overweight, largely depends on the opinion of their social environment.
the social status of such people is influenced by the degree of satisfaction with the place and nature of their activities.
an Important function is able to highlight the communicative qualities of individuals.
Most obese individuals understand that the modern market is not ready to accept them.

Very fragmentary, in publications devoted to the problem of obesity, it is said about obesity in the context of a social phenomenon, the topics of social well-being of people suffering from excess body weight are almost not affected. Obesity as a social phenomenon is primarily caused by the problem of acceptance by society of people suffering from obesity.

In England and the United States, obesity is noted more often in women from lower social strata, and pronounced obesity is found in them 2 times more often. Men also have a relationship between social status and obesity. It is a very different situation in India, where obesity has a different meaning: rich men and women are fuller than their less well-off compatriots and obesity is a symbol of well-being.

Solution of the overweight-problem

There are several treatment options for obesity.

Dietary treatment of obesity
Bodily exercises
Psychotherapy
Medical treatment of obesity
Preparations of plant origin
Surgical treatment of morbid obesity.

Dietary treatment of obesity

Obesity can lead to serious diseases. And weight loss is always good for the body, because it is always accompanied by:

improving the cardiovascular system;
reducing shortness of breath and swelling;
the improvement of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism;
reducing pain in the spine and joints;
improving overall health.

Getting rid of extra pounds is both simple and very difficult. On the one hand, all the recommendations are commonplace, on the other-they are difficult to comply with. To achieve any result, it is necessary, first of all, to set real, achievable goals and understand that you can not rush. To lose weight without harm to health, you need time. Rapid weight loss will soon lead to its increase again. Reduce weight should be gradually: 0.5-1.0 kg per week, no faster than 3-4 kg per month. Such a slow, gradual weight loss, about 10-15% for 3 months of treatment (example: if your weight is 100 kg, you can lose weight by 10-15 kg), will not only improve health, but also help to keep the achieved result for a long time.